title: Polyurethane heart valves: past, present and future.
abstract: Replacement cardiac valves have been in use since the 1950s, and today represent the most widely used cardiovascular devices. One type of replacement cardiac valve, the polyurethane heart valve, has been around since the first stages of prosthesis development, and has made advances along with the development of biological and mechanical heart valves over the past 60 years. During this time, problems with durability and biocompatibility have held back polyurethane valves, but progress in materials and manufacturing techniques can lead the way to a brighter future for these devices and their huge potential. This article describes previous efforts to manufacture polyurethane heart valves, highlights the challenges of manufacturing and explains the factors influencing durability and successful functioning of such a device.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Engineering, Institute of Applied Medical Engineering AME, Helmholtz Institute, Pauwelsstr. 20, D-52074 Aachen, Germany. kuetting@hia.rwth-aachen.de
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kütting
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roggenkamp
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmitz-Rode
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Steinseifer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011474:Prosthesis Design
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011140:Polyurethanes